KEY POINTS:
The two police officers at the scene of the fatal shooting of Waitara man Steven Wallace should have formulated a plan before approaching him, Hamilton District Court Coroner Gordon Matenga has found.
Mr Wallace, after breaking many shop windows and brandishing a golf club and a baseball bat, was fatally shot in 2000 by police in Waitara.
Mr Matenga's inquest findings were delayed due to a murder case brought against Senior Sergeant Keith Abbott. Mr Abbott was acquitted of the charge.
The coroner's findings released yesterday detailed the circumstances surrounding Mr Wallace's death, examined police policy in dealing with violent offenders and looked at what first aid care was given to Mr Wallace after the shooting.
On the evening of April 29, 2000, Mr Wallace had driven, after an argument with his sister and father, into the Waitara town where he broke several shop windows with a golf club.
Mr Abbott arrived on the scene about the same time as Constable Jason Dombroski and another constable. Mr Abbott saw Mr Wallace smash the windscreen and side window of Mr Dombroski's car - at which stage Mr Dombroski asked police communications to tell Mr Abbott to arm himself.
Both officers subsequently retrieved guns from the police station while the constable in Mr Dombroski's car observed Mr Wallace.
During this time the officers' commanding officer, Sergeant Fiona Prestidge, had left the command centre in New Plymouth to get to the scene and had ordered a dog team to get to the area. Mr Dombroski knew the dog team was on its way, but failed to tell Mr Abbott. The officers approached Mr Wallace who threw the golf club at Mr Abbott, which missed him. At the time he was threatening to kill Mr Abbott.
While Mr Wallace was closing in on Mr Abbott, Mr Abbott fired a warning shot and then a shot at Mr Wallace, who died in hospital a short time later.
Mr Abbott told the inquest Mr Wallace was in a rage, which increased after the warning shot was fired.
Mr Matenga questioned why Mr Abbott and Mr Dombroski did not make a plan between themselves while they were the retrieving guns and criticised Ms Prestidge for not taking a greater leadership role.
Mr Dombroski should have deferred to Mr Abbott's senior rank, when he arrived on the scene. Mr Abbott should also have done more to exert his leadership, Mr Matenga said.
The only recommendation Mr Matenga made in his findings was to clarify police guidelines on when dog teams should be used rather than just how they were to be used.
- NZPA
